Kult abilities by numbers

This sheet quantifies the effects of the ability values, so you can see exactly how your capacities increase when spending advancement points on melee, ranged, magic or speed. Exactly how your attack speed changes when equipping different items and attunements, is explained at the end.

Note that the numbers in this sheet are 'reverse engineered', so I wrote down large amounts of damages, speeds etc., and extracted the values in this sheet from those. So there is no guarantee that they are correct, but they did seem to fit, apart from a few minor deviatations.

Melee

Melee influences damage of melee weapons and block chance:

Weapon damage is multiplied by the number in the second column, so if your melee is at B, your weapons will do twice their listed damage. And if it's D- (multiplier 1.2), and you wield a 30-50 damage weapon, you will effectively do 36-60. (Apart from contributing attunements.)

Block chance is listed in the third column. If you use a shield with a fast or normal weapon or focus, multiply this value with the shield multiplier. So if your melee is D+, you will block 16% of all attacks (melee, ranged or magic), and with a medium shield (x1.5), that will become 24%.
Block chance is dependent on difficulty; numbers given are for 'normal'. On easy the numbers are the same, on hard they're 3/4, on expert 1/2 and on nightmare 1/4 of normal (rounded down). So on hard, with melee B-, block chance is 3/4 * 24% = 18%. And on nightmare, even with melee at S, you only have 11% block chance.
Block chance is the same against any type of attack; even spells.

Note that there is no chance to miss: you hit automatically (if you position your mouse correctly), unless the opponent blocks or dodges.

Ranged

Ranged ability influences the damage of bows in the same way melee weapon damage is calculated. So if you wield a 12-20 bow, and have ranged ability at C (damage multiplier 1.5), you will effectively do 18-30 damage.

Magic

Magic ability influences the damage of focuses, in the same way weapon damage is calculated. Damage from spells (focus attunements) is directly related to the damage the focus does. The recharge times of spells seem fixed: around 8 seconds for a First, 13 for a Second, 23 for a Third and 38 for a Fourth Circle magic.

Speed

Speed influences dodge chance and attack speed:

Dodge chance is listed in the third column. Some attunements multiply this value.
Dodge chance is the same against any type of attack; even spells.
Dodge chance is dependent on difficulty; numbers given are for 'normal'.
On easy the numbers are the same, on hard they're 3/4, on expert 1/2 and on nightmare 1/4 of normal (rounded down).
So on hard, with speed D+, dodge chance is 3/4 * 16% = 12%.

Base attack speed is listed in the last two columns. It's workings are further explained after the table.

Note that your movement speed is NOT influenced by your speed ability. (There is an attunement that does increase your movement, though.)

Table 1: The effects of your ability scores

ability value

damage multiplier

block / dodge

base speed

base delay

F

1

5

133%

3

E-

1.05

9

139%

2.875

E

1.1

10

145%

2.75

E+

1.15

11

152%

2.625

D-

1.2

14

160%

2.5

D

1.25

15

168%

2.375

D+

1.3

16

178%

2.25

C-

1.4

19

188%

2.125

C

1.5

20

200%

2

C+

1.6

21

213%

1.875

B-

1.9

24

229%

1.75

B

2

25

246%

1.625

B+

2.1

26

267%

1.5

A-

2.3

32

291%

1.375

A-

2.5

33

320%

1.25

A+

2.7

34

356%

1.125

S

3

45

400%

1

Attack Speed

The game displays attack speed in 2 ways, a percentage and a number. The number would more accurately be called attack delay, since it grows if you attack slower, while the speed percentage drops. The precise way they are related is: To get a percentage, take 400% and divide by the number.
Examples: if your speed is S, you have 400% / 1 = 400% speed, and if it's F you have 400% / 3 = 133% speed (without equipment; see below).

Base attack speed, as you find in the table above, is modified by your equipment: wielding heavier / bigger items means your delay increases. The table below lists the specific multipliers, and for convenience also the change to speed as a percentage: speed (%) multiplier = 1 / delay multiplier. (The speed % multiplier is rounded to 2 digits, which can give slight rounding differences.)
Note that the armour type (light/heavy) doesn't influence speed, only its weight.

So you can see that you get twice as many attacks in with a fast weapon as with a heavy weapon. And coincidentally, comparable heavy weapons will do about twice as much damage. That is, not counting armour: if the first 10 points of damage are absorbed, I prefer once 24 - 10 = 14 damage to twice 12 - 10 = 2 damage! But then again, fast weapons have twice as many chances to score critical hits, and to trigger their active attunements. All in all, there is enough game balance here to pick your own favourite, or even carry weapons of different categories for different situations.